Strong demand as iPad mini, Microsoft Surface go on sale

SAN FRANCISCO--Customers snapped up all Apple's stock of white iPad minis within hours of the new tablet becoming available for preorder Friday, but black versions were still available for delivery next week.

Apple announced the new tablet line on Tuesday, but some analysts had voiced doubts about its sales prospects given that its price tag of US$329 is significantly higher than similarly sized tablets from rivals like Google and Amazon.

However strong demand was noticeable within minutes of the new device going on sale, with CNN reporting that it took just 20 minutes for the preorder allocation of white iPad minis to sell out.

Apple also indicated in its earnings report Thursday that expectations for the launch of the mini-tablet may have crimped demand for regular iPads in the just-completed quarter. The company's financial results missed analyst expectations and sent its stock below US$600 Friday for the first time since July.

Microsoft also released its new Surface RT tablet and Windows 8 operating system to consumers on Friday and lengthy lines were reported at the company's stores throughout the U.S.

The Surface, with a starting price of US$499 is the first computer that the PC software giant has ever made. It is deemed crucial to the company's attempt to carve out a foothold in the market for tablets and other mobile devices which are often preferred by consumers to traditional PCs. Microsoft sold out of the Surface RT in preorders more than a week before the devices became available Friday in stores.

"The Surface, with a starting price of US$499 is the first computer that the PC software giant has ever made."

Interesting. Calling the surface a computer, not a tablet. Vertically ever surface displayed at their retail stores was upright and connected to a keyboard. This discourages you from picking up the device, rotating the screen, and viewing in pretreated mode. You look at it, and interact with it, like it’s a laptop? From that perspective, the base model price (with keyboard cover) is $599?

The iPad mini, priced to high? Sold out in an hour? The new ipad4 is also sold out?

Microsoft is not going to gain market share. Windows users will buy the surface so the can continue using office. They will just stop losing OS market share to iOS. Current windows users will either buy a desktop, laptop, or a surface. The number of windows users will not change, just some of the former laptop numbers will now appear in the table market share.

Apples ipad sales will continue to grow as its market share will appear to diminish. The question is, as the surface sales grow, will Android sales grow also? Or will Android owners, who also own a windows PC, decide its time to unify their OS ecosystem?